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Rules for Good Speech

In an essay by William Enfield published in 1808, the rules for good speech were clearly listed:

  1. Let your articulation be distinct and deliberate.
  2. Let your pronunciation be bold and forcible.
  3. Acquire compass and variety in the height of your voice.
  4. Pronounce your words with propriety and elegance.
  5. Pronounce every word consisting of more than one syllable with its proper ACCENT.
  6. In every sentence, distinguish the more significant words by a natural, forcible, and varied EMPHASIS.
  7. Acquire a just variety of Pause and Inflection.
  8. Accompany the emotions and passions, which your words. express, by correspondent tones, looks and gestures.

They remain as important today.

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